Intervention
by Haitus80
Summary: After Terminus the group finds a small reprieve and Merle decides to intervene in Daryl's personal life in true Merle fashion. It's pretty AU because Merle is alive and he was the one with Carol while the group was separated instead of Tyreese. Just something a little humorous that I never thought I would post. Like everything else. Caryl short story.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

 **This has been sitting in my documents for a long time now. It was meant to be a one shot but then I realized that maybe it would make a better short story.**

 **This is after the Terminus fiasco and before Alexandria. It's pretty Au because Merle is alive and he was the one that was with Carol while the group was separated.**

 **This was another one that I didn't expect to post because it isn't really anything special. I like when Merle goes out of his way to intervene in Daryl's life so I wrote this because of that. And he's funny and I like funny. Lol**

The day was strangely quiet. It was one of those days that a man could pretend the world was just like it had been before. The birds were singing and there was a breeze blowing through the trees causing the leaves to whisper quietly. They hadn't seen any signs of walkers in days. They were holed up in an old boarded up farmhouse they found at the end of a long dirt drive. They were all still trying to recover from the hell they had barely escaped. Most of them still licking their psychological wounds that their time at Terminus had left them with.

There was creek not far away. Daryl had managed to come back with meat every day and there were fruit trees on the property. For now, they were clean, fed and rested. No one was stupid enough to let their guard down. Even the baby was strangely quiet.

Daryl and Merle were in the back yard, lying in the tall grass under a shade tree, enjoying the uncommon quiet. He knew it wouldn't last too long since it was Merle. Merle didn't believe in keeping quiet for long. He stared up at the sky through the twisted limbs of the tree and waited.

"How long you think that friend of yours will let us hunker down here?" Merle asked after about thirty more seconds of silence.

Daryl shrugged. "Don't know. Couple more days maybe. Ain't really talked to him." He closed his eyes and folded his arms behind his head.

Merle grunted and let silence prevail for another half minute or so. "Where ya think she got them pants?"

Daryl cracked open one eye and glanced at him. "What the hell are you talkin' about?"

Merle raised up on his elbows and stared towards the house. Daryl followed his gaze and scowled. Carol was there in front of the house, her back to them as she leaned into the low banister of the back porch. She was looking up at Abe and Rosita who were talking to her about something, both of them leaning into the railing and looking down at her.

"It wasn't till it was just me and her out there for those few days that I really noticed it," Merle said, his eyes still on her.

"Noticed what?" Daryl asked, leaning up on his own elbows.

Merle grinned. "Them legs. That was the first thing I noticed. Those are the kind of legs just achin' to wrap around a man"

Daryl's eyes raked over the length of her legs.

"Sometimes I'd end up sayin' somethin' that pissed her off and she'd storm up ahead of me and that's when I noticed her ass." Merle sat up the rest of the way, his eyes not leaving her.

Daryl followed suit. It wasn't like he'd never noticed that she had a great ass before. He wasn't stupid and he wasn't blind. "So what?" He grumbled.

"You know what would make her ass look even better?" Merle went on.

Daryl glared at him, knowing where this was going because he knew Merle.

"It'd look better with my hand print across it. That's the kind of ass that's beggin' to be slapped."

Daryl sat up all the way. "Quit talkin' about her like that. She wouldn't give your ugly ass the time of day."

Merle finally tore his eyes away from her and looked at him. "You don't think so? You don't think me and her didn't do a little bonding while it was just the two of us out there? It's a lonely world, little brother. A woman can feel damn alone in a world like this. I don't see anybody else goin' after it. Might as well toss the offer at her myself since the rest of you with somethin' swingin' is too chicken shit or to busy moping around to throw her a little taste."

He thought about that for a few long moments while Merle went back to staring at her ass. "Put your eyeballs back in your head, asshole. She don't need you sniffin' around." He felt anxiety stir in his chest and wasn't even sure why.

Merle shook his head. "Nah, you had your chance. Had your chance every goddamn day when we was living large at the prison. Everybody seen them doe eyed looks she would shoot your way. You shrugged her off. Probably did some damage to her ego."

That anxiety shot up a few notches and he pulled his legs up to his chest. "You're full of shit. She ain't like that. Leave her the hell alone, Merle."

Merle barked out a laugh, his blue eyes narrowing. "Ain't like what? I got to know her out there, little brother. We had a lot of time on our hands and nothin' to do but get to know each other better. There's a fire in that woman. Every one of you mother fuckers walk around here like you're already dead but not her. A woman like that needs somebody." He took a deep breath and grinned. "I'm tellin' you, I know these things. I can smell it from here. You can almost feel it when she walks by. She needs a good rough and tumble."

Daryl was about to tell him to shut the fuck up but he didn't have a chance. Merle pushed up off the ground and without a backwards glance he sauntered over to the porch. Abe and Rosita gave Carol a small wave and went inside. Merle stood there as Carol faced him with an easy smile on her face.

He watched them for a few minutes, Merle smiling away and her laughing at the dumb shit he was saying to her. He was too far away to hear what they were saying but it looked like they were getting along pretty well. They both sat down on the porch step, sitting closer than they needed to.

Merle wasn't the greatest guy in the world. Daryl knew that. Hell, everybody knew that. But the truth was, he wasn't quite as bad as people thought. What he did to Glenn wasn't really a whole lot different than what Daryl had done to that Randal kid way back on Hershel's farm. Glenn hadn't been anything to Merle. All Merle knew was that Glenn could get Merle to Daryl and he wasn't giving up the location. Maybe Merle had gone a little overboard. Or a lot overboard. But people didn't understand Merle like Daryl did.

Merle was a lot better than Ed had been. Merle wouldn't treat her bad. He wouldn't blow her off like Daryl had done and he wouldn't force her from her home and her family like Rick had done. If he thought about it really hard, Merle was a hell of a match for her. Maybe he wouldn't have been two years ago but she wasn't the same woman, Merle wasn't the same man. Who the hell was he to begrudge them if they could find a little bit of happiness in this shit hole world?

He scowled, turning his head and spitting off to the side. The thought left a bad taste in his mouth. She was looking at Merle, smiling indulgently and then she nodded. Whatever she had just agreed to had Merle grinning, and had Daryl's stomach churning. That low down dirty son of a bitch! Daryl stood up at the same time she did. She patted Merle on the shoulder and then walked into the house.

Daryl stomped over to where Merle was still sitting on the back step and picking at a hole in his pants. "What the hell did you say to her?" Daryl spat, unable to mask the anger in his voice. He didn't even know where it came from, but it was there, causing the muscles in his jaws to twitch.

Merle glanced up from under his brow and shrugged. "I offered to keep watch if she felt like goin' down to that swimmin' hole downstream and get herself cleaned up. Seems like everybody else is too busy to do the woman a favor. Lucky for her, I ain't busy at all."

"You? You're gonna go keep watch for her while she... Merle, if you think I'm gonna let you go down there you're outta your fuckin' mind!" He barked.

"Aww, look at you," Merle grinned. "Ain't you got somethin' else to do? Like walk your ass back over there while your big brother scratches an itch that poor woman's lived with for a long time?"

Daryl heard his teeth grind together as he shook his head. "She didn't agree to go down there and fuck you, Merle. I know her better than that."

He shrugged. "Nah, she didn't agree to nothin' like that at all. But that don't mean I can't bring it up. And hell, even if I don't, least I'll get a peak that I can carry around with me for a while. Either way, she ain't gonna have any clothes on."

"You ain't takin' her down there."

"Well she can't very well go by her damn self. To dangerous out there. Predators all over now days. Don't worry about it. I'll take good care of her. I won't do a damn thing to her that she ain't beggin' me to do after a while."

"Merle, if you do this I swear to God I'm gonna-"

"Hey, you ready?"

Daryl's head came up at the sound of her voice and Merle glanced over his shoulder. She offered them both a smile but the one she gave Daryl was a little hesitant.

Merle sighed. "Change of plans. He's gonna go with you. I forgot that I had shit to do."

Her brows shot up and her eyes landed on Daryl's. "You? I didn't know you liked to swim."

Daryl frowned. "What?"

Carol held up a bag. "Swimming. We were gonna swim. If I thought you'd be interested in going then I would have asked you too. I just asked Tara and Eugene but they're on watch and Abe and Rosita are helping Sasha with something else."

"Swimming?" Daryl asked, his face flaming.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's hot and we haven't seen any walkers. I've been wanting to go for days but no one would go with me."

He looked down at Merle. Merle who was grinning up at him like an evil bastard. "Swimming?" He asked, glaring at Merle.

"Yep, just like I told you, little brother." He winked. That dirty rotten bastard winked at him. "Just an innocent trip to a swimming hole. I checked it out myself. Waters clear as tears straight to the bottom. No walkers in there and the place is so damn overgrown with thickets it'd trip up any dead. I cleared a path and that should be about the only thing you gotta keep your eyes on while you're down there."

"Don't you dare tell me you aren't going. I've been waiting for this for days," she said, sounding like she was fully prepared for him to tell her he wasn't going to go with her.

"Yeah, I'm goin'. Just give me a minute," he said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

She smiled, looking relieved. "Okay, I'll go grab another towel and then we'll go."

He nodded but didn't even look at her as she hurried back into the house. Merle leaned back and eyed him. "You can thank me later."

Daryl reached out and whacked him in the side of the head. "You asshole!" He hissed.

Merle chuckled and rubbed at the spot. "Oh, come on. You were so pissed off that I might go after a taste you was seein' red."

"She wasn't even goin' down there to get naked. Now she expects me go fuckin' swimmin' with her. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"She ain't plannin' on getting naked but that don't mean you can't get her that way."

Daryl opened his mouth to say something but Merle cut him off, all joking left his face.

"Listen, I know we've all been ran through the goddamn wringer, alright? I know that we keep getting shit heaped onto our heads left and right. I know how you deal with that. You fuckin' pull back and you push people the fuck away. I ain't lettin' you do that. You can't tell me your stupid ass don't feel somethin' for that woman. And we both know what that is. I care about you too goddamn much to watch you fuck this up for yourself. So be pissed off. Stomp around and throw your fit. Whack me in the head again if that makes you feel any better, but goddamn it, don't fuckin' push her away. She's the only good goddamn thing you have in this world and tomorrow she could be gone. So you march your ass to that goddamn swimmin' hole and you nut up and if you can't tell her that you fuckin' love her then you show her. You come back and ain't done either and I swear to Christ some time tonight I'm gonna fuck that woman so hard she don't know your goddamn name no more. You get what I'm tellin' you?"

Daryl stood there, his heart feeling like a jackhammer in his chest as he turned over every word Merle had just thrown at him. It was true. That was exactly what he was doing and he hadn't even realized it. But Merle had. He saw a lot more than people thought he did.

He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the door she was sure to come through any second. Finally he stuck his finger in Merle's face, meeting his eyes with a hard stare. "I catch you lookin' at her goddamn ass like that again and I'm gonna scoop your eyeballs out of your head and shove'em right down your throat."

Merle grinned and then the door opened.

"You ready?" She asked excitedly.

He nodded, giving Merle one more hard look before he fell into step beside her.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm so glad you all enjoyed that first chapter! Thanks for giving it a shot =)**

 **Chapter Two**

She was beyond surprised that Daryl was willing to go with her. She had thought she pretty much had him figured out but apparently she had missed a few things. Like the fact that he would be willing to go with her to do something as stupid as swimming. She was glad. She had missed him horribly while she was separated from the group.

The moment she had stepped out of the woods and he had seen her standing there, he had reacted like he had missed her just as bad. But things seemed to be rushing at them from all sides lately and people didn't have a chance to enjoy anything larger than a small moment anymore. She had watched as he sunk back into his own mind again. She had seen it happen many times.

"I'm glad you're coming," she said quietly as they followed the path Merle had told her about.

"Yeah?" He muttered, glancing at her briefly.

She nodded. "Yeah. It's been pretty crazy. I don't even really remember the last time I've had a real conversation with you."

He snorted. "I ain't the greatest conversationalist, remember?"

She grinned and bumped his shoulder with her own. "You're one of those rare men that can say a whole lot without saying anything at all."

"Merle's always been the talker," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I realized that those few days after he found me out there. That's the difference in the two of you. He always has his mouth open and words are always coming out but he never really says anything at all."

This earned her a small smile. "Yeah, well, that's Merle."

Silence prevailed for a while after that but she didn't want silence at the moment. She felt like she needed to hear his voice. Usually being close to him was enough but for some reason, right now it just wasn't. "What made you decide to come out here? You've never mentioned going swimming before."

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Are you a good swimmer?" She asked.

He glanced over. "I guess. Ain't been swimmin' since I was a kid but I was okay."

"So you won't let me drown?" She asked, keeping her face serious.

"If you ain't smart enough to stay out of the deep end then why should I go outta my way to save you?"

It was rare. He didn't tease her back often. "Because it's what you do."

He shook his head but didn't say anything else. Sometimes keeping him talking was exhausting. The path Merle cut out of the underbrush was getting more and more narrow and she slipped in front of him so they didn't have to walk smashed together. "From what he told me it shouldn't be much farther," she said, glancing over her shoulder.

His eyes shot up quickly, his face reddening slightly.

She laughed and then turned around, crossing her arms over her chest and grinning at him. "Were you checking out my ass, Daryl?"

"Course not!" He scowled.

She didn't move. She stayed right where she was. "I think you were. You're more like your brother than I thought."

His eyes narrowed, "What the hell does my brother have to do with your ass?"

"Well, he made it a point to compliment it for one thing. He wasn't sneaking glances and then denying it. And stop looking at me like that. I like looking at your ass too, Daryl. There isn't any shame in enjoying a nice view."

"Shut up," he grumbled and stepped around her.

"See, and you're even sweet enough to give me a free show now."

His back tensed and the smile fell from her face. She was only kidding, trying to get a rise out of him like she always did but things were different now. He was different now and maybe she should have just left him alone. He turned around and, not even looking at her, stepped around her. For one terrifying moment she thought he would walk right back down the path and leave her there. She was about to turn and apologize but she felt his hand at the center of her back and then he gave her a small shove.

"Walk. I ain't gonna be objectified all the way there," he grumbled.

She grinned and started walking, not saying another word. Just a few more yards and the narrow path opened up to the creek that was feeding a wide pool before spilling downhill. She stopped so abruptly that he bumped right into her but he caught her quickly before she could fall on her face. His hand slipped quickly from her waist but she didn't let it bother her. "This place is beautiful," she breathed, stepping further onto the thin strip of sandy gravel.

She grinned, wiping the sweat off her brow as she hurriedly dug into the bag she had brought with her for the towels she had found in the house. She laid them out neatly and then stripped off her over shirt, leaving her in her threadbare tank top. When she slid her belt off she happened to glance up. Daryl was watching her, eyes wide.

"What the hell are you doin'?" He asked, his voice sounding strained.

She bent over, working on the buckles of her boots. "I'm about thirty seconds away from getting in."

"You ain't gonna wear any pants?" He asked, eyes nearly frantic.

She toed off her boots. "I found shorts. It's going to cover up more than a bathing suit, Daryl. You aren't going to be scandalized, I promise." She rolled her eyes. This man had to be the strangest man she had ever met, but she adored him regardless.

"Stop," he muttered, looking away.

She realized then that he hadn't made a move to take anything off. It was extremely disappointing but she had expected it. She decided to handle the issues head on. Beating around the bush would get her nowhere with him. "I've already seen them, Daryl. You can take off your shirt now."

He looked up sharply, his eyes guarded. "What are you talkin' about?"

She shrugged, making sure she kept her expression controlled. "You're all scarred up. So am I. I'm the last person that you would have to worry about hiding from."

He swallowed hard, watching her but not making a move. She approached him cautiously, knowing that now he was in fight or flight mode. This was a very touchy situation but she couldn't stand this anymore. She didn't want him pulling away any further than he already had.

"There isn't anyone else here," she said, keeping her eyes on his as her fingers went to the top button of his shirt. "And I've already seen them and I don't care."

He was giving her a strange look. One she hadn't ever seen before and this struck her as odd because she had thought that she had seen all of his looks. He wasn't pulling away though, not physically anyway and she took this as a good sign. Especially when she finished with the buttons and pushed the shirt away.

"See?" She smiled. "The world didn't end because Daryl Dixon is topless. Now if we can just get you out of these-"

He grabbed her hand before she could make it to his pants, the look in his eyes almost lethal but she saw his lips twitch.

With a shrug she pulled her hand out of his grip. "Can't blame me for trying." She turned around then but she could hear him behind her, taking off his boots. She slipped out of her pants and stepped right into the water without a backwards glance. The shorts she had found were really nothing but extremely short pajama bottoms but she didn't care. She actually had underwear that covered more than these shorts did. If he didn't want to see then he didn't have to look. Maybe he wasn't comfortable in his skin but she was comfortable in hers. She was now anyway.

The water was colder than she had expected but she didn't slow down. It felt good on her overheated skin. It was hot and humid out and this was going to make her feel one hundred percent better. She turned around to see if he had made anymore progress and gasped because he was right behind her. She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly his hands were on her and she was shoved under.

She came up sputtering, ready to smack him but he was gone. She turned in a circle, watching the surface of the water and keeping one eye on the treeline surrounding them. She would have been able to see him in the clear pool but the sun was glaring off the water and she couldn't see anything below the surface because of the glare. She was starting to get a little scared because it seemed like a long time had passed but suddenly he broke the surface a few feet away.

"You were right. This ain't half bad," he said, the corner of his mouth turning up.

She shot him a look. "I'm glad that practically drowning me put you in good spirits," she muttered, wiping water out of her eyes.

"You're the one that came up with the idea, then you tried to strip me. Ain't my fault if you're regretting it now." He seemed a lot more relaxed now and it was surprising. He was never really relaxed but he seemed to be right at home in the water.

"Okay."

He narrowed his eyes and swiped water from his face. "Okay?"

She smiled wickedly and disappeared under the water. She swam towards him but once she was past the point she knew he had been standing she came back up again to find that he was gone. She cursed, turning in a tight circle and then screamed when she felt a hand close around her ankle and jerk her hard. She kicked and flailed but it was to no avail. She went under, felt hands grip her waist and then she was heaved out of the water, into the air and then splashed back down feet away from him.

When she got her bearings and came back up she was ready to beat him bloody. Before she could yell at him for manhandling her she saw his face and lost her train of thought. He was grinning. She had never seen a smile like that on his face. There was no tension, no sadness, no worry etching lines into his skin. He was smiling, his eyes bright and mischievous.

"You, Daryl Dixon, are a manhandling ass," she said, shaking her head in mock disappointment.

One eyebrow shot up. "You know what happens when you call a redneck names?" He asked, a clear warning in his voice.

"Don't," she said, shaking her head and walking backwards.

He slipped back under the water in a graceful arc and she cursed under her breath, glancing around frantically and watching the surface for the telltale signs he was heading towards her. She saw nothing. He was like a wraith in the water, appearing and disappearing, leaving her wondering where he would turn up next. The water was up to her neck and she couldn't move quick enough. She went under and made a move to get away but she felt his hand on her leg this time.

She wasn't going to let him throw her around again. He was being a complete bully because he was quicker than her, clearly a better swimmer and he was stronger. She rolled like an alligator instead of trying to kick away from him. His momentum had his body sliding over hers and he let go of her leg on his way up. His hands went to her waist again but this time she was ready. Her legs locked around him and when they broke the surface he couldn't throw her again.

"Smart," he muttered, shaking water from his hair.

She smiled, pushing his hair back, taking note that he wasn't pushing her away from him, even though she had her legs locked around his waist and her arms linked at the back of his neck. And then she really _thought_ about the fact that her legs were locked around his waist and her arms were linked at the back of his neck and he _wasn't_ pushing her away. "Smart is right. Don't think I'm gonna let you toss me around like some rag doll just because you can." She smiled.

"Oh, I still could if I wanted too," was his low response. His eyes were darker now but she was sure it was just from the shadows of the trees.

A hundred quips came to mind but she didn't say anything. She didn't say anything because his hands were moving down, traveling from her waist to her hips and then he pulled her closer. "I think I like you in the water. You're a lot more approachable." She hated herself for sounding so breathless but she truthfully was breathless. Very breathless.

"You think?" He asked. One eyebrow shot up again and she grinned. This was very un-Daryl like. This was a side to him she never even knew he had. He sighed and then shook his head. "I gotta be more approachable."

"Why?" she asked.

"My brother said I had to," he said, a frown forming between his brows.

"You're brother said you had to?" She laughed, though her mind was spinning because his rough hands were still lingering on her hips.

"Yeah."

"I knew there was a reason I liked that vulgar man. And exactly what did he say to make you feel the need to listen to him and be more approachable?"

He shrugged and his eyes slid down and if she didn't know any better she would have sworn he was staring at her mouth. His eyes grew darker. "He said to make a move or he was gonna make one. Didn't leave me with a whole lot of choice."

"Make a move?" She asked, honestly confused.

He nodded and finally his eyes slid back up to hers and narrowed. "I don't push you away because I want to. Defense mechanism. When shit gets hard, shut down. Don't feel. It works for me."

She swallowed hard but didn't say anything. He was talking. Really talking. She would let him talk.

"You get that. You get _me_. I take that shit for granted all the goddamn time cause in my head, you're always gonna be there so I can do whatever a need to do, then just come back and start all over." His eyes slid back down to her mouth. "But I don't guess that shit is very fair, is it?"

She shook her head slowly. His voice was getting softer and softer. Her heart was beating harder and harder.

"You're the first person that ever told me that I was more than what I thought I was. The first person to ever look and see somethin' good. The first person to ever just accept me for me and still pushed me to see that it was okay to just be myself cause I was better than I thought I was. The only goddamn person in my whole life that ever made me feel good about who I was, and never asked for a fuckin' thing in return. You need to know that I know that. I remember how the rest of them looked at me and I remember how you never did."

There was a painful lump in her throat and she couldn't find her voice. He looked like he was growing uncomfortable now, doing that thing he did where he shut down. He had put a lot out there and so far all she could do was stare at him. But she didn't trust her voice. She decided that she couldn't just let the moment pass her. She leaned in suddenly, while she had the courage, and pressed her lips to his.

His lips started moving over hers instantly, warm and surprisingly soft. He was full of surprises because his hands moved from her hips to her ass and she pulled back, her eyes wide.

"What?" He asked, his expression one of complete boyish innocence.

She grinned. "Remind me to thank your brother."

He nodded and leaned back in, this time kissing her harder, exploring her mouth hungrily. She never expected this from him. She never thought he had it in him to give, but there he was, kissing her in a way that had her body heating up and her mind spinning. Her heart was soaring. It had been hard, holding her feelings in for so long, always too afraid to show to much for fear of freaking him out. This was all a shock to her system.

His lips left hers, trailing down her throat and she found her hands moving of their own volition, down his chest, over the cool smooth skin of his stomach and stopped just above the waistline of his jeans. Before she could move them any further he grabbed her hands and lifted his head. "Not here."

Her eyes widened. "But somewhere?"

He nodded, kissed her one more time and then shoved her away, swimming a few feet away from her.


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope you all had a great weekend! One more chapter after this one. I told you it was short!**

 **Chapter Three**

The sun was going down by the time the house came into view. For now, everything still seemed peaceful. He almost regretted not letting things go further but he hadn't really wanted it to be like that. From the corner of his eye he saw her glance at him several times. She was waiting for him to shut her out. He knew it. But that wasn't going to happen. Not anymore. There wasn't any point to it.

"Are you on watch tonight?" She asked as their steps slowed.

He shook his head. "No. I had it last night. I think it's Merle and Abe. What about you?"

"No, not tonight."

"That's good." Why the hell did this feel so awkward now? Was he fucking blushing? Jesus...

"So Merle will be out all night then?" She pressed.

He nodded. She looked so unsure that he almost felt bad. It was like their roles were reversing. He was the one that was never one hundred percent sure about things. "If you want you can-"

"Hey there, little brother!"

Oh God. Not Merle. Not now! He didn't need shit to be anymore weird. They both stopped, neither expecting him to still be sitting on the back porch steps. "You been sittin' on your ass this whole time?" Daryl asked.

Merle was studying both of them closely and then he narrowed his eyes. His gaze settled on Carol. "You get wet out there?" He grinned.

"Very, Merle. It was a-" She didn't finish her sentence because he wasn't asking about the swim and she finally realized it.

He leaned back on his elbows. "He didn't do it, did he?"

"Shut up, Merle," Daryl grumbled.

Merle sighed and shook his head, returning his attention to the book in his hand. "Don't say I didn't warn you little brother."

Carol shocked them both when she closed the distance, leaning right down into Merle's face and placed her hand on his cheek. Their eyes locked. "Merle," she said in a sultry voice. "Oh, Merle. Regardless of what your brother did or didn't do out there today, you never had a chance in hell. But I am really flattered." She kissed him on the cheek and then patted his shoulder on her way past. She disappeared into the house without a backward glance.

Merle was looking over his shoulder, staring at the closed door before he finally swung his head around, gaping at Daryl. "Can you believe that woman?" He barked.

Daryl tried. He really did try but he couldn't hold it in. He laughed. Merle looked so offended, like he had never been turned down in his life, and Daryl knew that wasn't true. Merle had been shot down plenty of times. It was probably his delivery. It was usually off and the girls that did fall for his lewd ass lines proved to be trouble. The man was lucky his dick hadn't rotted clean off.

Merle looked up, scowling. "What the hell are you laughing at?"

Daryl sat down next to him on the step. "Nothin'. Nothin' at all."

They were quiet for a while but Merle couldn't hold back for long. "So, somethin' happened. You don't look like somebody done shoved somethin' pointy up your ass. That perpetual pained look you been carryin' around ain't there no more. I'm guessin' blow job."

Now it was Daryl's turn to scowl. Leave it to Merle to turn some monumental moment into a dick joke. "Shut up, Merle."

"Well tell me then, goddamn it!"

"Nothin' really," Daryl lied. How could he tell Merle that he had managed to shed a lifetime worth of insecurities over the last few hours? How the hell could he explain to anybody how it felt to open up to somebody. All the way. And not just anybody either. The person that mattered the most to him. And she had accepted everything he had to offer. How could he explain to someone as arrogant as Merle?

Merle was watching him but Daryl kept his eyes straight ahead. "Well, I'll be damned," he said, his voice low.

Daryl looked at him then. "What?"

Merle shook his head, clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. It wasn't mocking. "Good for you, boy." He walked away then, leaving Daryl sitting there, curious to know what Merle must have seen on his face.

~H~

She wasn't sure what to do. He had never told her that she could go to the room that he shared with Merle. The worst that could happen was that he would complain about being woken up and throw her out. With a heavy breath she reached for the doorknob.

She jumped when the door suddenly opened and Daryl stepped out, almost running her over. Her hands landed on his chest as he steadied her. His shirt was on but it wasn't buttoned. The feel of his skin under her hands was another shock to her system.

"What are you doin'?" He whispered, not moving his hands from her waist.

"I... I don't know," she breathed, her pulse thrumming. The hallway was dark, the house silent other than the wind that blew past the open window in the bedroom behind him.

He wordlessly backed up, pulling her into the room with him and shutting the door. Her anxiety flew out the window, carried away by the wind as he pulled her closer.

"Where were you going?" She asked.

"To find you," he muttered and then his lips were on hers and the world tilted slightly. She had been afraid that what had happened out there in the water had been a one time thing. She had been worried that he had let his guard down for only a moment, offering more than she had ever expected but would close back up once the moment had passed. That was why she had been afraid to come to him.

"I wasn't sure if you would want me here," she muttered when he pulled back.

"I'm really that bad, huh?" He asked, his calloused hands working up the back of her shirt and causing her breath to stutter out of her. God, it had been so long since she had felt a gentle hand on her.

She nodded. "Sometimes."

"I don't wanna be that bad anymore," he said, his voice muffled because his lips were on her neck.

She felt his teeth graze her skin and heat coiled low in her body. She swallowed, a small sound escaping her and causing her to flush even more than she already was.

He pulled his head back, his eyes wide in the moonlight. "So..."

She pushed his shirt off his shoulders. "So?"

"You sure this is what you want?" He asked, his fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt almost nervously.

"It's the only thing I've wanted for a long time. I just didn't think I would ever get it," she said, no doubt in her voice.

He needed no more prompting. He seemed to be finished holding back because he was suddenly moving her towards the mattress in the middle of the floor. He quickly pulled her shirt off and tossed it over his shoulder before his lips were on hers again. He was backing her up so quickly that she tripped over the mattress and they both landed hard.

"Shit," he cursed, trying to scramble off of her so he wasn't smashing her but she locked her arms around his neck, unable to let him go very far. He stopped trying to adjust himself and let her pull his face down to hers. The feel of his weight on top of her seemed to cause that fire to ignite in her.

He braced himself with his arms, his lips moving down her jaw, over her throat and then blazing a wet trail down to her breast. Her nails bit into his back when his teeth closed over the peak, causing her to gasp and arch into him. It was like his mouth was a magnet for every nerve ending in her body. He wasn't very careful with her and she hadn't ever expected him to be. He was a rough man and she loved it. Needed it, really.

He switched to the other side and then she felt his hand moving to the button on her pants, swiftly working them open and then wasting no time before slipping his hand inside. As closed off as he usually was, and had been since she had met him, she wasn't sure how experienced he would be when it came to this. But he seemed to know exactly what he was doing as his fingers played over her.

She whimpered pitifully and pushed up into his hand but she was beyond being embarrassed at this point. She had wanted him for so long and never thought this would happen, never thought he would ever be able to open up all the way and she was desperate to feel him. All of him.

His fingers roamed over her for just a little while longer, long enough to almost bring her to the brink and then he removed his hand quickly and sat up on his knees. Her entire body felt like it was vibrating with need. She quickly lifted her hips when he started working her pants down. Once they were tossed away she expected him to move over again. Instead he pushed her knees further apart so her legs were splayed before him. She was panting already, anticipation clouding everything. His eyes trailed up from the juncture of her thighs until they locked onto hers.

And then he smiled.

Her eyes widened at the look in his eyes. This was a side of him that she had never imagined existed. Suddenly he dropped his head and in one long lick with the flat of his tongue, he tasted her fully.

Her head fell back and her shoulders pushed into the mattress as her back arched. His hand shot up, clamping over her mouth but she hadn't realized she had even made a sound. She felt his other hand running down her thigh, leaving goosebumps in its wake. His wide tongue pushed into her and she squeezed her eyes shut and fisted the threadbare blanket in a white knuckled grip. As soon as he removed his tongue, he replaced it with one thick finger that moved in slow circles that had her crying out against his hand. His tongue went to work on her then, lashing against her as his finger moved skillfully.

When his lips closed over her he sucked gently and the dam finally came crashing down. She screamed but the sound was wasted against his hand that was still clamped over her mouth. Her whole world seemed to stop spinning, time stopped flowing. It was agony, this pleasure. Wave after wave seemed to crush her until she was almost sure that she would suffocate. It was all too much and yet, it didn't seem to have an end in sight. Finally the pleasure tapered off but he didn't stop until she was pushing his head from between her legs.

He finally moved his hand away from her mouth and sat up on his knees again. She was gasping for breath, her mind still trying to comprehend what had just happened to her body. She stared up at the ceiling until suddenly the view was blocked by his face.

"Jesus, are you alright?" He asked, sounding more concerned than he should have been.

She grinned and then nodded and then his mouth was on hers and his body settled over her. She vaguely realized he wasn't wearing any pants anymore and then she felt her eyes go wide when he moved and was suddenly pushing into her.

He cursed under his breath and then growled into her neck as he moved deeper. He stilled, finally lifting his head and she pushed his hair back out of his face. He kissed her softly and pulled back and she didn't think about the words before they left her lips.

"I love you," she whispered.

He grinned and kissed her again but this time his body started moving fluidly over hers. He didn't have to say it. She could feel it in every way he touched her and she could see it every time their eyes locked. At least, that was what she thought. But a few seconds later he whispered it back and she felt her whole world tremble. When he kissed her again his rhythm changed and the kiss grew deeper, hungrier. Her nails raked over his back when his hips moved into her harder. She matched him thrust for thrust, the feeling of him heavy inside her driving her closer and closer to the edge again.

The pressure built slowly, like a roller coaster car climbing up a steep incline, anticipation causing a low moan to escape her. And then she was on that precipice again, staring into open space before the car tipped and she was flying. His mouth crushed hers before any noises could be heard. She felt her body gripping him tighter, the heat enveloping them both and then he tore his mouth away from hers. His eyes were glassy, feverish as they locked onto hers. His teeth sank into his lower lip and then his breath left him in her rush. She felt the warmth of his release spill into her, saw the raw pleasure darken his eyes and then he kissed her again, slower now that his movements were slowing.

He raised up, bracing himself with his arms but he didn't stop kissing her. He just moved down enough so he wasn't inside her anymore. He dropped back down, covering her body with his own again. "You know, you shoulda made me do this a long time ago," he muttered into her throat.

She smiled. "I didn't make you do anything. But I agree. We should have started doing this a long time ago."

"You came in here askin' for it. You coulda done that any time." His lips turned up as she ran her nails lightly over his back.

"I always assumed if I did you'd put a bolt in my ass."

"I'm not really into any kind of kinky shit. You should have known better."

She barked out a laugh, covering her mouth to stifle the sound. He reluctantly rolled off of her and pulled the thin blanket up to his waist. The time for hesitations was over. She rolled onto her side and worked her way under the blanket, easing next to him.

He didn't seem to mind. When he rolled over to face her and pulled her even closer she was starting to think that he actually liked the fact that she was so close. She relaxed into him, tucking her head under his chin and smiled at the feel of his fingertips ghosting over her hip. Their legs were tangled together. The wind was still blowing and every few minutes a slight breeze would find its way inside, blowing over them lightly.

"I really should get back downstairs. Merle will catch me up here and pitch a fit," she said, her voice heavy with sleep.

He grunted and tightened his hold on her. "Merle can go fuck himself," he muttered in a rough voice.

"This is his room too," she said after stifling a yawn.

"Then he can go sleep in the corner."

"But shouldn't I put my clothes back on?"

He shook his head. "He'll come in, see you in here and then he'll leave. Shut up and go to sleep."

"You aren't my boss."

He growled. She kissed his chest. There was no more talk of leaving the room or putting clothes back on. It was stupid to do this, really. If a herd came through or somebody with bad intentions showed up, she was literally going to be caught with her pants down. But she had never felt so comfortable.


	4. Chapter 4

**Umm... I am so sorry. I thought I had already posted this. This is the last chapter for this little story. I'm still working on the other ones so hopefully soon I'll have another longer chapter story to post. Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Four**

He woke up when he heard the door open. He cursed himself for not putting his clothes back on. The blanket was pulled down, covering both of them from the waist down, leaving her back exposed to Merle's roaming eyes. Her chest was pressed against his so Merle couldn't see any of that but Daryl pulled the blanket up anyway.

"Where the hell am I suppose to sleep?" Merle whispered.

Daryl sighed, glancing down to make sure she wasn't awake. "I don't care. Sleep where she was sleeping."

"How good was it?" Merle grinned.

"Get out," Daryl hissed.

"Not till you tell me. I'll stand here all night. I'll steal your clothes."

Daryl groaned and glanced back down. Merle was such a son of a bitch. She still looked like she was sleeping soundly. "Fine, it was good. Get the fuck out, Merle."

"How good?" Merle whispered.

"I'm serious. Get out, you dick." He was having a hard time keeping his voice quiet and the last thing he wanted was for her to wake up and see Merle in the room, even though this was all Merle's doing for the most part.

Merle sighed and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. Daryl stifled a groan. "Get out," he said again, glancing around for something to throw.

Merle shook his head. "Is she a freak?"

"No, she ain't a freak. Merle, I'm gonna kill you. I swear to God." Why? Why did his brother have to torment him?

"You didn't botch it, did you? I didn't hear any screamin' or anything."

"No I didn't- Goddamn you, Merle! Go on somewhere."

Merle pushed off the wall and walked towards the door, much to Daryl's relief. He did turn before opening the door. "You never said how good," he looked so serious.

"Real fuckin' good you dirty bastard. Go!"

Merle cursed and shook his head. "I fuckin' knew it'd be good," he grumbled and then left the room.

Daryl's head dropped back down, a scowl on his face. He loved his brother but sometimes he wanted to beat him in the fucking head with something. He looked down when he heard her laugh. His scowl deepened and rolled his eyes. This was just great. She'd been faking. "Shut up and go back to sleep," he grumbled.

Her fingers played over his side, causing him to squirm. She moved so she was able to look at him. "Real good, huh?"

He rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes. Sometimes she was just as bad as his brother. He always had one or the other poking at him. He wasn't going to be goaded into any of this. He was going to go to sleep and-

Her lips ghosted over the scar on his chest, her hand trailing down his stomach and then resting between his hips. He swallowed hard and forced himself not to grab her hand and slip it down the rest of the way. They had only slept a few hours but he was more than ready to have her again. He had denied himself a lot for a long time and his body seemed over eager now.

He gripped her hair and hauled her up further. She grinned before her mouth met his, hot and greedy and causing all the blood in his head to rush to his crotch. She was a good kisser. A damn good kisser.

She slid over him easily and his hands had free access to roam over her back. She was right. She was scarred up as well. It wasn't as bad as his but she knew the same kind of pain he did and it made him feel even that much closer to her. They were different sides to the same coin.

She pulled back slightly, smiling down at him. "You were sweet, but I didn't even get the chance to show you if I'm real good. I kind of just laid there. You did all the work."

He chuckled, his hands resting on her hips. "Little work never hurt anybody," he said, his voice low.

She rolled her hips over him and kissed him hard before pulling away again. He groaned. It wasn't often that something felt good in this world, and he was pretty sure he had never felt anything as good as her skin moving against his even _before_ this world. She smiled down at him. "Do you want me to move so you can get some sleep?" She whispered.

He growled and shifted under her. "We ain't gonna be here forever. Might wanna take advantage of doors and walls while we can."

"And I might wanna take advantage of you being so docile," she said with smile.

She was driving him crazy and he was sure she knew it. He was half tempted to flip her onto her back but he waited. They didn't have to rush and when she finally moved, sinking down over him, it seemed like rushing was the last thing on her mind. That was okay because it was the last thing on his too. His hands roamed freely and he questioned himself why he had held back for so damn long. Her lips trailed down to his throat and every slow roll of her hips nearly had his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

The pleasure increased slowly, steadily and he could tell by the change in her breathing and the way her body trembled that she was close. He had given her all the control that she wanted but he couldn't just lay there anymore. He sat up, eliciting a surprised cry from her that he swiftly cut off with his lips on hers. One arm locked around her and he slid the other between them, his fingers playing over her. She whimpered into his mouth and then he pushed up into her hard, his thrusts jarring her body forward.

His orgasm came out of nowhere, surprising a groan out of him when it hit. A second later a hard tremor tore through her and her teeth bit into his neck. There wasn't enough air in the room, even with the breeze blowing in through the window. He was panting into her shoulder when they finally grew still. He collapsed onto his back, dragging her down with him.

She braced herself with her arms and kissed him. She didn't stop for a long time and he didn't care. He traced the line of her spine with the tips of his fingers, causing her to sink further into him. When she finally broke the kiss and pulled away she was watching him with wide eyes.

"What?" He whispered, his voice sounding rough.

She shook her head and slid off of him, using his arm as a pillow as she burrowed into his side. "I always wish we had somewhere to go. Somewhere where we could just breath. Now I'm wishing even harder," she said sleepily.

He stared up at the ceiling and felt the heavy weight of their existence settle over him, causing him to tense. "We'll find somethin'."

She nodded. "I think so. There's something out there for us. I think I'm ready to fight a little harder to get it now."

He couldn't help it. He chuckled. "Now? You've been fightin' pretty hard since the start."

She nodded. "We all have. Now it just feels like there's a lot more to fight for. I want to live. I don't want to keep running just to survive."

"Me neither," he muttered, his arm tightening around her.

~H~

When he woke up the next morning he sat up quickly. He had slept deeply, which wasn't something he was used too. He was used to barely sleeping, trying to keep one eye open, listening for any strange sounds that may indicate that death was creeping on them.

Last night hadn't been like that. He hadn't woken up again after they had went back to sleep. He didn't dream. He felt sharper, more focused than he had in what felt like years. His eyes came up in time to see Carol bend over to buckle her boots. When she looked up and met his eyes she grinned.

"We slept late," she said quickly, glancing at the door before sitting down on the mattress.

He looked at the open widows and ran a hand through his hair. "Damn." The sun was all the way up. "How late?"

"It's after noon," she said, tossing him his pants.

He slipped them on under the sheet and then swung his legs around so he was sitting next to her. "Fuck," he growled. "We're always the first ones up."

She nodded. "Yeah, so expect some stares. I'm just warning you now."

He rolled his eyes and then he tensed when he felt her hand on his back. The tip of her finger traced one of the larger scars but then he felt her lips on his shoulder. He turned his head and she looked up from under her lashes. He didn't feel like pushing her away and he had expected to do just that. Old habits died hard. But when her lips pressed against his skin again he felt his own turn up. "Let's get down there and get this over with."

He stood up and grabbed her hand, pulling her up from the mattress. She pushed his shirt into his free hand and then kissed him quickly. He blinked in surprise. Even after everything they had done, he wasn't sure if he would ever get used to something like being free to kiss her when he felt like kissing her. He didn't have to worry about her turning him away. He didn't have to worry about her thinking he wasn't enough for her. The truth was, he was enough. They were equals.


End file.
